Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 891: Gu Ya Will Not Let This Go

However...

Magistrate Gu reminded, "Elder Gu still owes five thousand taels of sin redemption silver."

Elder Gu hurriedly looked towards the uncle and nephew of the Zhan Family.

Old Master Zhan San, not wanting any more embarrassment, took out a stack of silver notes from the box and placed it on the table: "Five thousand taels, we’ll take our leave first."

Magistrate Gu smiled and said, "Take care."

...

The Zhan Family uncle and nephew were utterly fed up with the Old Gu Family, so instead of returning to the house on Moxiang Street, they took their mule cart to the Zhan Family’s separate yard in the Prefecture.

Their original plan was to act in secret, unnoticed by Gu Jinli’s family. But now, things had blown up to the point where the whole Prefecture knew, so there was no need to keep it under wraps any longer.

After hearing rumors, the Zhan Family servants, aware of the uncle and nephew’s predicament, had sent a mule cart early to wait outside the government office.

The Zhan Family uncle and nephew got on the mule cart but did not allow Elder Gu to board, saying to him, "Later, the Zhan Family’s mule cart will fetch Gu Ya."

Elder Gu: "In such a hurry?"

Young Master Zhan San sneered, "With things blown up like this, why stay and keep being laughed at?"

Little Sister Gu, seeing Young Master Zhan San angry, immediately said, "Father, Zhan Family is willing to marry Sister Ya, what more could you be dissatisfied with? Hurry back home."

As she spoke, she tried to board the mule cart but was pushed to the ground by Young Master Zhan San, landing with a thud.

"Third Young Master?" Little Sister Gu looked at Young Master Zhan San with tears in her eyes, feeling aggrieved: "I was going to serve you."

Zhan San almost vomited, sneering, "A concubine who hasn’t even entered the door yet rides in a cart with another man? My Zhan Family is a noble family, adhering to etiquette and rules. Don’t bring those bad habits to our noble family."

Elder Gu frowned, helping Little Sister Gu up: "Third Young Master, even though Little Sister is to be a concubine, you shouldn’t treat her like a servant."

Despite his suspicion that Granny Gu had been unfaithful, Elder Gu had spoiled Little Sister Gu for many years and was very upset to see Zhan San treating her with such disrespect.

Zhan San said, "A concubine is a servant. If you don’t want to be my concubine, then return the five thousand taels."

Elder Gu was stumped. He avoided prison thanks to the Zhan Family’s five thousand taels; if he didn’t allow Little Sister to marry Zhan San, his family would have to pay.

Little Sister Gu, fearing that Zhan San might not marry her and Miss Gu Rong would benefit instead, immediately pushed Elder Gu aside: "Father, why talk so much? I’m already Third Young Master’s woman, so of course, I must obey the noble family’s rules."

She smiled at Young Master Zhan San, saying, "Third Young Master, don’t be angry, I’ll listen to you."

With disdain, Zhan San glanced at her and said, "If you want to go to the Zhan Family’s separate yard, follow the mule cart on foot. The cart is for the masters."

Then, he lowered the cart’s curtain, and the Zhan Family’s servant drove the mule cart away.

Little Sister Gu and Gu Rong ran after the mule cart, afraid that if they fell behind, they wouldn’t be allowed into the Zhan Family’s gate.

Elder Gu sighed, but thinking of the five thousand taels of silver, and the future continuous flow of silver, he felt this familial ties were worth it.

After all, a woman should endure a bit of hardship if it benefits her natal family.

"Let’s go home." Supported by Gu Chengli, Elder Gu dragged his weary body back home.

The Old Gu Family was in chaos, with women wailing and Gu Youlu and others in distress, wondering how they became a murderer’s sons.

Oh God, how can we still take the imperial exams!

Don’t dream of it. With a group suffering from venereal disease, who would allow you into the examination hall?

Upon returning, Elder Gu threw a fit, shouting: "Everyone stop crying! Our family hasn’t collapsed yet, Lord Lai said he’d provide silver to eliminate your collective punishment. Moreover, Little Sister, Sister Rong, and Sister Ya are now tied to the Zhan Family and will marry into it. The Zhan Family already gave our family five thousand taels of silver today."

"Five, five thousand taels of silver!" Ms. Zheng was almost mad with excitement, quickly asking Elder Gu, "Father, where’s the silver? Hurry, let me put it in the storeroom."

Elder Gu, flustered by the question, scolded, "A daughter-in-law asking her father-in-law for money, don’t you have any propriety? Hurry and take Chengzhi to bed; it’s so late already."

Chengzhi was the family’s only healthy grandson and needed proper nurturing.

Gu Chengzhi, licking the crumbs in his palm, drooled and giggled, "Grandpa, I’m not sleepy. I want silver, give me silver to buy meat."

Seeing this, Elder Gu scolded Ms. Zheng again: "What kind of mother are you? You can’t even take care of a child. Look at Chengzhi, a total mess!"

Knowing about Gu Chengzhi’s condition, Ms. Zheng didn’t dare stay after hearing this and immediately dragged Gu Chengzhi away: "Father, I’ll take Chengzhi to bathe and put him to bed now."

At nine years old and still needing his mother to bathe and put him to bed—certainly a problem.

Yet, no one in the Old Gu Family suspected anything, only thinking Gu Chengzhi was spoiled and couldn’t take care of himself.

Elder Gu, exhausted, after scolding the Old Gu Family women, assured them that Granny Gu’s issues wouldn’t implicate them, then asked Mrs. Gu, "Where is Sister Ya? Get her ready; the Zhan Family will come for her tonight."

Knowing about Gu Ya’s situation, Mrs. Gu was delighted that Old Master Zhan San was willing to marry Gu Ya, quickly responding, "Yes, daughter-in-law will prepare Sister Ya’s things right away."

Mrs. Gu immediately went to Gu Ya to inform her of the situation.

Gu Ya cried pitifully: "Mother, I’m interested in Young Master Zhan San, how can I marry Old Master Zhan San? He’s so old! Marrying him will ruin my life!"

She wanted to marry someone like Young Master Zhan San, a talented young man to enjoy romantic moments with, not banter with an old man about how many grandchildren he had!

"Hmph, who do you think you are, a damaged good? If Old Master Zhan San is willing to marry you, count yourself lucky." Mrs. Gu, trying to coerce Gu Ya into agreeing to the marriage, dropped her scholarly facade and revealed her shrewish side, pointing and cursing at Gu Ya: "Let me tell you, stop seeing yourself as some young lady. Your father is paralyzed, your brother has a venereal disease, your scandal is out there. Go to the Zhan Family, take advantage of Old Master Zhan San while he’s alive to get more silver, and hopefully, have a child or two. Then you’ll have hope in life."

She warned, "If you refuse the Zhan Family, given your loss of purity, you might end up being drowned in a pigsty. Think carefully."

Listening to Mrs. Gu’s words, Gu Ya was stunned. So, in her mother’s eyes, she was also just a damaged good: "Waaaah..."

Covering her face, Gu Ya cried bitterly, but she didn’t cry for long before the Zhan Family’s mule cart came to fetch her.

Seeing this, Gu Ya could only resign herself, but before leaving, she specifically asked Elder Gu, "Did you see Gu Jinxiu and Gu Jinli? Were they dressed well? Were they attended by servants? Were they still in their old, ragged clothes?"

Elder Gu shook his head: "Didn’t see them; they didn’t come."

Ladies going to court—that would ruin their reputation!

Gu Ya was disappointed and reminded Elder Gu, "Grandpa, our family’s fall to this state is all because of Gu Jinxiu’s family. You mustn’t let them off; make a scene at their house, make their lives miserable!"

And she wouldn’t let it go either.

If she, Gu Ya, couldn’t live well, neither could those two wenches, Gu Jinxiu and Gu Jinli!